HOW DO YOU PLAY AT CRICKET?

THE TEAMSCricket is played between two teams of 11 elements each.

THE FIELDIt consists of a grass space, mostly oval or rectangular, of dimensions often greater than one for football but there are no precise rules on how long and wide the playing ground should be, making the most of the available space. At the center of the field there is a lane (pitch) about 20 meters long and 2 meters wide. At the two ends of the lane there are three posts that form a small door (wickets).

THE MATCHIt is divided into two fractions of play (innings). The teams do not present both in full on the field; on the contrary, each innings involves all the 11 players of a team in batting, which are eliminated from time to time by their teammates, until the elimination of the tenth batter, and the 11 opponents who launch and defend the field (fielder ). After the interval the teams take the field with reversed roles.

PURPOSE OF THE GAMEThe teams try to score as many points as possible and not to be eliminated when they are batting; not to score points and eliminate opponents when they are at the launch. Whoever scores the most points wins.

THE ROLES OF THE PLAYERSIn the batting team the only role is that of the batsman. In the team at the launch there are: – the pitcher – the wicket-keeper (receiver) – the fielders (arranged in the field by the captain)

1 the batter who hit the ball; 2 the other batsman; 3 the launcher after the launch; 4 the wicket-keeper; 5 a fielder near the batsman; 6 a furthest fielder; 7 a fielder who runs to retrieve the ball; 8 the referee. A shot is worth 4 points, 6 instead if the ball comes out on the fly without touching the ground.

THE DYNAMICS OF THE GAMEThe bats are positioned on the pitch each in front of one of the two wickets. The launcher, located at either end of the lane, directs the launch towards the batter at the opposite end. The batsman when he hits the ball can run along the pitch exchanging places with his partner. Each race (run) is worth 1 point for the batting team. A joke so powerful as to let the ball out of the field rolling is worth 4 points, 6 instead if the ball comes out on the fly without having touched the ground.